CHIEF Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha yesterday said former minister of Defence George Mpombo breached parliamentary etiquette when he commented on the proposed amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act outside the National Assembly business.
And MMD chairperson for information and publicity Dora Siliya said the ruling party was now surprised that a man who served as minister of Defence could exhibit such reckless behaviour against his appointing authorities.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha said Mr Mpombo should disclose the reasons for his demotion from the position of minister of Energy to that of deputy minister for Copperbelt Province by late president Levy Mwanawasa before he could start condemning others over corruption matters.
Gen Shikapwasha said the Kafulafuta Member of Parliament did not have the right to insult the vice-president before the amendments were officially introduced to the National Assembly as a Bill.
He said prior to the Bill being introduced to National Assembly, MPs were restrained from debating classified information to the media and warned that charges of illegality could be preferred against Mr Mpombo.
The standing orders in the National Assembly were documented as regards to matters that were already on record as having been put together for purposes of consumption by the National Assembly.
Gen Shikapwasha was commenting on the The Post newspaper of yesterday which carried unprintable material against vice president George Kunda claiming that he intended to remove some aspects from the ACC Act.
Gen Shikapwasha, who is also minister of information and broadcasting services, said Mr Mpombo did not have the right to condemn anyone until he explains why he was demoted.
He said the Government would not allow Mr Mpombo to insult the vice-president who had done a lot in fighting corruption while Mr Mpombo did not have any track record in that regard.
The minister said Government was aware why Mr Mpombo was demoted but would allow him to disclose to the public.
He wondered what Mr Mpombo had done in the fight against corruption and that the only record that existed was that he was demoted as cabinet minister.
Meanwhile, Gen Shikapwasha has cautioned Zambians not to be excited by the promises from some opposition politicians whose track records speak volumes of selfishness and greed.
Gen Shikapwasha said Zambians should not be excited at the promises that opposition politicians were making, but they should critically analyse their track records and how they had acquired their wealth, before they could listen to their promises.
It was shocking that some opposition politicians, who had contributed to the problems the MMD Government was trying to solve, were the ones promising people that they would revive the country’s economy.
Gen Shikapwasha said it was sad and disappointing that some opposition politicians were so desperate to form government and that they had resorted to telling lies about the Government and making promises that they would not fulfil.
“Most of the promises that the opposition politicians are making are mere lies and so Zambians should not be excited by these fake promises, but should critically analyse these promises.
“Some of these opposition politicians who are making promises of improving people’s lives have a track record of selfishness and greediness and one wonders how they can improve people’s lives,” he said.
And General Shikapwasha has advised Zambians to look at the way some opposition political party leaders were running their political parties before they could give them chance to rule Zambia.
He said some opposition political party leaders have no human interest at heart as evidenced from the way, they were running their political parties and it would be disastrous to give them the Republican presidency.
Meanwhile, Gen Shikapwasha has urged the media to desist from promoting hatred among politicians and concentrate on highlighting developmental and progressive debates that will benefit the people in various parts of the country.
He said he was saddened that some sections of the media were only reporting about political mudslinging when they were supposed to report on developmental issues and the various challenges and problems facing the country in its efforts to achieve economic recovery.
The media had a critical role to play in maintaining peace in the country and it was imperative that the private and public media were responsible and objective in their reporting so that they do not promote hatred among politicians.
And Ms Siliya said the MMD would deal sternly with the political future of Mr Mpombo and his Chilanga counterpart Ng’andu Magande for their continued attacks on President Banda and Mr Kunda.
She said the attacks were unjustified and was certain that they would be shunned even by the opposition political parties.
[Times of Zambia]
Ask Mangani why he was demoted,then maybe you can go on and ask for Mpmbo to tell us as well;
“He said the Government would not allow Mr Mpombo to insult the vice-president who had done a lot in fighting corruption” is he talking about George Kunda the current VP or someone else,,,only a FO.OL,an embecile,an Id.iot or maybe an ingrate would believe this bullsh.it
Mwanawasa should be turning in his grave
batata ba shi kapwasha amano balilufya mundenke
Human interest. Do the MMD thieves have any human interst at all?
Shikapwasha really thinks we are stupid and blind as Zambians
why did’nt mr Mpombo challenged Ba vice president in PARLIAMENT over the same issue other than go to the press? I now doubt mr Mpombo’s BRAINS on this MATTER.
Haambilwa-abana: You have no data on this one. It was actually Shakas who challenged George Kunda about this issue in parley. George Kunda then threatened Shakafuswa with arrest because. Don’t be too quick to judge Mpombo here.
This was public knowledge before Mpombo spoke about it.
Ronnie Big Nose does not see any wrongs when he insults opposition leaders and when he also insults other religious followers.
I do like how Ronnie thinks that G.K is still trying to deal with corruption from the Chiluba era.
We wonder WHY G.K and Co stopped the appeal on Chiluba if G.K honestly believed that his time in U.K courts would result in nothing back in Zambia.
G.K Wasted public funds and now wants us to think he is fighting corruption to this day.
Let him stand up in court for the prosecution team when the london judgment is lodged in Zambia.
Big Nose Ronnie.
Was it not you breaking etiquette at the U.N by SLEEPING while important people are speaking?
Ronnie should retire you are finished you are always making threats to people as if you are God. Do not judge anybody your expire date has come. Dora Siliya stop using bottom power and make threats to people. Who are you? MMD is out in 2011.
Mwebantu napapata njebeniko, bushe uwachitile ordain ba Shikapwasha as Reverend ninani? This man behaves far from this title. What relevance has Mpombo’s demotion by Mwanawasa got to do with this issue at hand?
My question is, At what stage of the law making process should the Zambian citizenry be informed of an impending law? My take is that citizens must be informed of any impending law at the formulation stage so that they actively debate the merits or demerits of such a law. The tendency of being secretive at policy/law formulation stage should not be a norm.
It seems to me that Ronnie appears to notice the speck in other peoples’ eyes and not in his. He may very well want to recall his stint in Tanzania at the Zambian High Commission. What he did was disgraceful and now he wants to hide behind this PASTOR cloak and dagger secret.Each and every one of these corrupt politicians are registering their own churches and they become misleading Pastors who should not be tolerated. The likes of Ronnie will never be anywhere near Desmond Tutu.Senior military personnel have a regimented way of life and few can handle civilian attitudes without threatening.It also appears that the MMD have folders/files on individuals for control purposes hence the careless talk about perceived failures by people like Mangande,Sata,Haakainde and Mpombo etc
The battle has just started and we are winning!
Hehe..haha..hoho..ati dont listen to the opposition. If we dont listen to the opposition then whom are we going to listen to coz we dont have a govenment in Zambia. We have the PACT as gonvernment of Zambia not you MMD-thugs. HASATA for presidence. If the two die we will appoint others to take over. Dont bewitch them you MMD-thugs, thieves of donor monies.
#10,
I totally agree with you on the need for transparency by the VP.In this day and age,it is expected that the leader of the House would have tabled all the Bills to be debated during the current session.It is not uncommon for Green Papers to be issued to introduce the topic country-wide and a White Paper after all the deliberations if indeed the Bill is passed.
Is LT owned by Shikapwasha? I wonder why they always find it fit to cover this man even when he is in thye toilet. Dont LT have access to news? No they do but deliberately choose to cover this guy. Yours Worried Zambian.
Rnt this big nosed not the one always sleeping? The guys are panicking real bad! Wina azalila!
“Gen Shikapwasha said the Kafulafuta Member of Parliament did not have the right to insult the vice-president before the amendments were officially introduced to the National Assembly as a Bill”. You are very right reverend Big Nose. Let us all wait until the vice-president officially introduces the amendments in Parliament; THEN We INSULT HIM!!! HHHHAAAAAA. Some logic. This man can’t even put together a sentence that makes sense! And he is the MMD Chief Government Spokesman to boot!! My heart bleeds for my country.
In Western culture, when a person tells little black lies, his nose lengthens proportional to the size and frequency of the lies. In Zambia, apparently the nose gets bigger instead! Fascinating phenomenon.
“Gen Shikapwasha, who is also minister of information and broadcasting services, said Mr Mpombo did not have the right to condemn anyone until he explains why he was demoted”.
It is this kind of politicking that brings the standard of politics in Zambia so low. Any one who wants to counsel the President or some ministers is usually threatened with exposing something from his or her past. Many political leaders in Zambia, especially this reverend, do not inspire genuine discussions and dealing of matters. Which ever Kantemba of Church he belongs to………
Why does Shikapwasha want to blackmail others each time they comment on matters of national interest? If Mpombo was demoted because of corruption, and if the evidence is there, why not just arrest him? This is not a civilized way of conducting politics.
Shikapwasha na Rupiah and Kunda, well what can I tell you three? Mbolozanu bonse! Mwatuchusha bafikala! Dora, wabe chimutwe!
Mpombo has all the rights to comment on all the dodgy dealings in the so called “UNIP/mmd govt….Why mulelesha ukulandapo, he’s got talking rights. Mumbwe bamwipaile payakwe, that’s what UNIP aka RB is doing to the founder members of the MMD, watch this space.
It is sad that Zambia is in the hands of sadists such as Shikapwasha, men who only want to hear their voices, men who only believe what they think is right. George Kunda threatened Shakafuswa right there in Parliament where all members are honorable. So Mpombo saw it fit to talk publicly because he feels even parliament is not safe. Coming to the Bill it self, I would want Shikapwasha to give the nation the reasons for their intended move. To me the ACC is there to stop white collar crime which is mainly abuse of office in any way. Why does Rupee Banda want to get rid of this article? Does it mean he is aware of many abuses of office in his administration and he preparing some form of protection if he fails to retain power next year? Please MMD members don’t destroy good laws just to…
Please MMD members don’t destroy good laws just to make money for yourselves because money wont save you.
If BIG nose Chimpuno Shikapwasha is saying that the media is promoting hatred amoung ploliticians, Does he no what he is doing right now with LT,he is threaghtening Mpombo say he should disclose why he was demoted,on the other hand Dora Big mouth excited with temporary power is threaghtening to deal with hardcore politicians Mpombo and Magande.ins’t that insinuating hatred amoung politicians.I don’t even know if LT editors looked at the story before publishing these Vomits from Dora and Bignose, or maybe they are just doing there Job as being told by there boss.Who ever listens to what these guyz say must be one stupid Zambia who doesn’t know what rubbish is
Mukazinama bakumunzi and even poeple in villages who never stepped even in grade 1 can understand that this is crap, Matuvi chabe